Ports seeking telecommunications bill

The Port of Whitman County, along with the Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA), is working with Ninth District Representative Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, on a bill to the legislature to refine telecommunications authority for ports statewide.

Joe Poiré, executive director at the Port of Whitman County, said the association and ports are looking to update the authority to be more in line with technology today.

“The legislation is 17 years old,” he said. “And we want to refine that authority.”

Passed June 8, 2000, the law gives port districts the authority to “construct, purchase, acquire, develop, finance, lease, license, handle, provide, add to, contract for, interconnect, alter, improve, repair, operate, and maintain any telecommunications facilities within or without the district's limits” for the purpose of the district's own use and provision of wholesale telecommunications services with the district's limits. The legislation also has stipulations for rates, terms, conditions, revenues and expenditures.

Poiré said the WPPA is looking to have the authority expanded to allow the ports to have preferential contracts with one company for the installation of fiber-optic communication lines, as well as allow the ability to work directly with certain entities to lease fiber.

“We've got the right to put in fiber optic cables and lease them to telecommunication companies, and statewide ports would like to make some changes to that legislation,” said Poiré. “Right now, we cannot lease fiber to a public entity, such as the City of Pullman, and we'd like to be able to do that.”

Poiré said the benefit of this would not be seen at the port district level.

“It really wouldn't do anything for us,” he said. “But it would do something for them. It's for our constituents, it's for our taxpayers.”

The WPPA and port districts have been working with Rep. Dye on the language of the bill, which does not yet have a number.

“The bill is in code revisions right now, and it's getting hammered on by everyone,” said Poiré. “In the House, it has good support. In the Senate, everyone wants to know what Senator (Mark) Schoesler thinks.”

Poiré reported at the Jan. 19 Port meeting that the bill did not yet have a co-sponsor. He told the Gazette later that he expects the bill to be moving forward this week.

“It's just out of code review, and it's going to be dropping this week,” he said. “It will be getting a bill number.”

James Thompson, deputy director at WPPA, said the bill would also clarify language related to preferential contracts with companies. As the law is now, it is unclear in regard to preferential contracts, he said.

“It would allow ports to have exclusive contracts,” he said. “It's the right to enter into agreements with an exclusive provider.”

This, Thompson said, would expand fiber access in communities.

“If the law isn't clear, then these companies shy away from the investment,” he said. “Our goal is to get more broadband in your areas, in the rural communities.”

Thompson said he expects the bill to be introduced later this week or next week.

“This is a big opportunity for economic development,” he said. “It's the basic quality of life in communities.”